


Lost and Found

by hitmyheart



Series: You Are the Apple of My Eye [5]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Couple Jaeyong, Memories, Plantonic TaeTen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 02:02:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16567484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitmyheart/pseuds/hitmyheart
Summary: Once upon a time there was a story about love, friendship, pain, and sacrifice.





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> Johnny's story is finally here. The next part of this series will be about JohnTen and Jaeyong. I'll give you guys a glimpse of their past when they were still in college. This is just the beginning. Hope you guys will enjoy this one <3

* * *

Doyoung looked back and forth between the four adults in the room. Taeyong curled up into a ball on the couch, his head nestled against Jaehyun's chest and he looked even smaller like that. His face was pale, staring at the blank space. Jaehyun wrapped his arms around his husband, his jaw tightened. His body was rigid and stiff. The new guest, Ten, sat across Taeyong and Jaehyun. He stared down at his lap, fidgeting on his seat. And then there's Johnny. He didn't sit like the rest of them. He stood a few feet away behind the couch, leaning his head against the window. He looked so lost and disoriented, his face was pale and he was visibly trembling.

The whole room was dead silence. No one moved or talked. The reception was already over. Mark and Donghyuck had gone to their new house. Doyoung knew he had to leave too. He knew the four of them needed some time to talk and sort things out. There was an unfinished story between them and even though Doyoung knew exactly what happened, he knew he wasn't part of the story.

“Listen,” Doyoung said after a very long moment of silence. “All of you need to talk and I'll give you guys some privacy.”

Johnny still didn't move from his spot. Jaehyun's body relaxed a little and Taeyong finally showed some reactions. He blinked at Doyoung and looked at him through his long eyelashes.

“It's okay if you want to stay.”

Doyoung shook his head firmly. “No. This is about all of you. I'm going back to Johnny's house. Don't worry, Taeyongie. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Doyoung turned to Ten who sat next to him. He cleared his throat to gain his attention. Ten looked so awkward and out of place with his casual clothes; a black ripped jeans, plain white t-shirt, and black shining leather jacket. He looked just like Ten, like how Doyoung remembered him. He smiled at him, warm and sincere.

“It's nice to meet you again after a very long time, Ten,” Doyoung said, patting his shoulder gently. “I'll see you around.”

Ten gaped at him, not knowing what to say. Doyoung didn't wait for him to answer and quickly got up from the seat. He waved goodbye at Jaehyun and Taeyong. Before he left, he walked over to where Johnny was standing and gave him a side hug, squeezing his waist gently.

“Don't let him go again, Johnny,” Doyoung whispered before letting him go. Johnny finally blinked, his face twisted, but he stayed rooted in his place.

After Doyoung had left, the room grew quiet again. It was Taeyong who broke the silence between them.

“My wedding,” Taeyong started, his voice so choked with sadness and longing that it was low as a whisper. His eyes focused on Ten. “The day when Jaehyun and I adopted our baby Mark. Christmasts. Brithdays. Deaths. Important moments. Sad moments. Happy moments. I had no best friend throughout it all. Weren't you supposed to be my best friend? Where were you, Ten? Where?”

Taeyong couldn't contain the loud sob that broke in his voice. He wailed, wrapping his arms around Jaehyun's neck in a chokehold and sobbing loudly into his throat. His loud voice echoed through the whole room. The sound of it ripped something deep inside Ten who was already on the verge of crying. Jaehyun closed his eyes, cradling Taeyong's head gently, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.

“Tae,” Ten trailed off, tears spilling down his face, a new sob rising in his throat. He wanted to reach out to his best friend but his body couldn't move. “Tae, I'm sorry.”

Taeyong cried even louder, clinging to Jaehyun for dear life. Ten's heart broke at the sight of his best friend. A few moments passed before finally Ten had enough courage to get up from his seat. He slowly approached Taeyong and when he's finally in front of him, he dropped down on one knee.

“Tae, I'm so sorry. Please look at me.”

When Taeyong pulled away from Jaehyun's neck and found Ten was already in front of him, he didn't waste any time to throw himself over his best friend. Ten caught him just in time but the collision made him stumbled backward and he ended up fell onto his back with Taeyong on top of him. The two of them cried together, holding onto each other tightly, legs entangled. For a very long moment they lay on the floor; sobbing, sniffling, and wailing together. The full-blown ugly cry until both of them was exhausted and there's nothing left to shed. It was calm after that. Both Taeyong and Ten still didn’t let go of each other. It felt so good as if they were finally home.

“Tae?”

Taeyong hummed.

“Can you get off of me? You're heavy. Ugh.”

Shrieking, Taeyong pinched Ten's stomach, hard enough to make his best friend jolted in surprise. Ten wailed when Taeyong started to attack him. Pushing Taeyong off his body, Ten reached out to tickle Taeyong. Both of them ended up laughing in between tears, looking so happy and content as if no time has ever passed and they were back being a teenager again.

“Are you guys done?”

Taeyong and Ten stopped and looked up to see Jaehyun staring at them with an amused smile and fond look on his face. He tried to look upset but failed miserably. A bright smile broke across his face as Ten grinned at him.

“Hi, Jaehyun. You still haven’t changed much.” Ten said as he slowly sat up, pulling a boneless Taeyong with him. “Still a baby face. So unfair.”

Jaehyun laughed. “You still look like Ten too.”

Ten frowned.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“Means that you still look messy and just like Ten.” Taeyong translated. Ten pouted at him.

“Meanie.”

“Says the one who disappeared from our life for twenty five years.”

Ten's face instantly twisted with regret. He let out a sigh, dropping his gaze down.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered, fiddling with his fingers. “I have no excuses for that. I know I have a lot to explain and I think no matter how many times I apologize to all of you, it will never be enough.”

“It is. You owe me a lifetime apology,” Taeyong said, there was a humor on his voice and Ten knew he was just trying to lift the mood. He reached out, taking one of Ten's hands in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I will never let you run away from me again.”

Ten looked at Taeyong and the look on his face told Ten that his best friend knew. Ten didn't have to explain anything to Taeyong or Jaehyun because they knew. They knew why Ten left and they wouldn't push Ten for something he wasn't ready for. Fresh tears stung Ten's eyes. Even after all these years, nothing has really changed and their bond was still as strong as before.

“Thank you, Tae.” Ten whispered, scrubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, sniffling. “I missed you so much.”

Taeyong leaned forward to kiss his temple, smiling at him.

“I missed you, too,” Taeyong said, wiping his tears with his thumbs gently. “We can catch up later. For now, you need to say hi to Johnny. He's waiting for you.”

As soon as Taeyong mentioned his name, as soon as Ten heard that name again, there was a painful squeeze inside him, making his breath hitched. Ten looked over Taeyong's shoulders and found Johnny already looking at him. His gaze sent a physical jolt through his body. They locked eyes for what seemed like forever and knew what was in front of them; the unfinished story.

 

* * *

 

“ _Johnny_.”

His voice, his face, his attitude. Everything was still the same just like how he remembered. Johnny stared at the man before him and he was back in Jeju, so many years ago, walking side by side on the side of the beach, splashing water everywhere, watching him playing in the waves, an oversized t-shirt, faded blue ripped jeans, bare feet, big smile, and bright eyes.

Johnny didn't expect to see him again. And he never considered the possibility of meeting him again after he got married. Now that he was in front of him, suddenly everything seemed too real and too sudden. Over the years Johnny tried not to think about him and moved on with his life. He'd lodged him in the permanent past, his pluperfect youth, and put him on the very back of his head. He'd think of him from time to time and then put him back at where he'd kept him. Johnny hated himself for not being able to completely forget him. He hated how subconsciously he'd kept him alive in his memory as something precious as life even though he knew he no longer belonged on his life.

_He's real. He's right in front of you_. A voice whispered in his head. But everything hurt now. Starting at his face made his heart ached with a life-long pain but he knew there was also longing and wants.

A throat-clearing sound Johnny back to real life. He blinked and found Ten standing only a few feet away from him, staring at him with his big brown eyes. He smiled and Johnny wanted to scream at him in frustration. How dare he came back into his life and caused a storm inside him? How, even after all these years, he still had the same effect on him.

“John,” he whispered, his voice wavered. “Hi.”

Twenty five years was a very, very long time. Twenty five years of waiting in agony were exhausting. Twenty five years of trying to forget him were hard. And twenty five years of loving him, even before than that, was the only thing that kept Johnny alive. For once, Johnny finally let his walls crumbled and bared himself in front of him. He was tired and he didn't think he could put another facade. He'd waited long enough and now all he wanted to do was to fall.

Suddenly, everything around them disappeared. Their eyes remained locked as Johnny took a step forward. Closer. And closer. His mind throbbed as Ten did the same. Another step and he was in Johnny's arms again. Breathing harshly, Johnny held him as if he was afraid that Ten would leap away. Ten wrapped his arms around Johnny's waist, burying his face in his chest.

“ _Ten_ ,” he called his name again after twenty five years. His heart began to pound furiously. Something deep inside him felt alive again after a very long time. This wasn’t a dream. This was real.

Finally, finally. “Ten. Ten.”

Ten tightened his hold.

“Johnny.” he whispered back, his voice trembled with fresh tears. “Johnny.”

Johnny closed his eyes, silent tears started streaming down his cheeks. He held Ten close against his chest. After twenty five years, he's finally here.

 

* * *

 

Taeyong and Ten were having ice cream in the kitchen, catching up with each other. They talked out loud, laughing until their stomach hurt, and shed some tears again. Jaehyun and Johnny were still in the living room, doing the same but they were much calmer. It felt as if they were back being teenagers, the four of them, just like the old days. Taeyong told Ten what he'd missed after he completely disappeared right after their graduation day. He told him about his wedding and his married life. Right after Taeyong got married with Jaehyun, his husband received an internship in one of the biggest enterprises in Vancouver and they moved there. A few months after that they adopted baby Mark. It wasn’t an easy decision. They were still adjusting with the new environment and they knew a baby was a big deal. But it was also something they’ve always wanted and talked about even before they were married. In the end, having Mark was one of the best decisions they’ve ever made in life. They lived there until Mark turned six before moving back to Seoul. Taeyong told Ten how everything was hard for him the first year he lived there, mostly because of the language barrier and the culture. It was hard at first but in the end, they managed. And gradually their life became better.

“Mark is such a handsome young man,” Ten said after Taeyong ended his story. “Physically he might not look like you or Jaehyun but when I see him, I can see Jaehyun from the way he talks and carries himself. And I can see you in him from the way he treats other people.”

Taeyong smiled at him. “People know that he’s not our biological son but they always say that Mark is just like both of us.”

“He is indeed your son,” Ten said, reaching out across the table to hold Taeyong’s hand. “I’m so glad your dream came true, Tae. You used to tell me that you wanted to build your own family with Jaehyun. And you’ve always wanted a baby.”

Taeyong squeezed Ten’s hand back, a new sob rising in his throat. Talking with Ten again made Taeyong thought about their old days when they were still a college student. When they were still young and careless yet fearless and always full of hope. The four of them were always been together since day one. Their friendship was something Taeyong cherished the most, it was part of his youth, part of him.

Taeyong was content with his life; he had a very loyal and caring husband, a wonderful son, and he couldn’t ask for more. But he knew, deep inside him, something was missing. It wasn’t complete. And now that his best friend was back again, Taeyong finally felt at ease. It felt so much like finding his missing puzzle piece.

“How about you?” Taeyong asked. “How’s life?”

“Nothing surprising or interesting,” Ten said with a shrug. “Right after graduation I came back to Thailand and became a dance instructor, as expected. I was nomadic for a very long time. I went abroad a lot. I never stayed in one place for too long. But a few years ago I came back to Thailand again to rest. My mother wanted me to stay there but I still don’t want to settle down yet.”

There was a beat silence after that. Taeyong bit his lower lips, fiddling with his fingers.

“Are you,” he asked slowly, staring at Ten hesitantly. “Are you married?”

Ten didn’t answer his best friend with words but just one look on Ten’s face and Taeyong knew.

“ _Oh_ ,” he said, blinking. His face turned blank. “Oh.”  

Ten smiled, strained and bitter. “Yeah.”

“Ten,” Taeyong said slowly, licking his dry lips. It was a small gesture Taeyong did when he was nervous or anxious. “He isn’t married, too. Well, not anymore.”

Ten stayed quiet. He didn’t look surprised or shocked. His face didn’t show any emotions. This time the silence was much longer and it made Taeyong grew anxious and started fidgeting on his seat.

“I know.” Ten said, slowly lifting his gaze to look at his best friend properly. “I know, Tae.”

Taeyong exhaled sharply. “You do? But… how? From who? I mean, we haven’t talked in years.”

“Someone told me about it. He’s also the one who invited me to the wedding.”

Taeyong looked utterly confused. Now that he thought about it, how come Ten knew about the wedding? Not that Taeyong wasn’t happy that he was here. He was happy and glad that his best friend finally came back but his unexpected appearance made everyone shocked and confused. Ten had been gone from their life for twenty five years and they couldn’t reach him. It is as if he never existed in the first place. Taeyong didn’t invite him to the wedding. And no one knew about Ten except him, Jaehyun, Johnny, and also Doyoung. Who could possibly invite Ten to the wedding?

“Who?” Taeyong asked and he certainly did not expect the words that left Ten’s mouth after that.

“Donghyuck.”

 

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for your endless support for this series. i really appreciate it <3


End file.
